Power-transmission mechanism.



B. A. GRA'MM. POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.27.1913.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

2 suns-SHEET 1.

B. A. GRAMM.

POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.27,1913.

] 1 09,584, Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

am-i. bmeooao W5 mm Mioz $313M aftozmu UNITED srarns PATENT carton.

BENJAMIN A. GRAMIVL'OTE LIMA, OHIO.

POWER-TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN A. GRAMM, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Lima, in the county of Allen and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PowerTransmissionMechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in power-transmission mechanismand particularly to improvements in power-transmission mechanism adaptedfor use in self-propelled vehicles; and an object of this invention "isto provide a power-transmission mechanism ofthe character just referredto which will be simple in construction, comparatively cheap inmanufacture and efiicient, durable and readily manipulated ,in operationand use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a power transmissionmechanism, the operation of which atyhigh speed will be practicallynoiseless.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of this invention and thebest mode now known to me ofapplying thatprinciple,

Figure 1 is a plan View, partly in section,

of my new mechanism; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same; and Fig. 3is a section on the line AA of Fig. 1.

In the casing a there are mounted the drive-shaft b, thetransmission-shaft c and and the counter-shaft d. On the :r shaft thereare keyed or otherwise mount-ad fast or circumferential groove 76' andin its outer end face with a recess is into which extends one end of acoil-spring n which tends normally to press the slidable clutch is tothe left in Fig. 1 and thereby into clutching engagement with the hub ofthe pinion j.

Upon the inner end of the drive-shaft b there is formed a clutch elementor member on. Upon the transmission shaft 0 there are keyed theclutch-members 0, p, g, which are formed, respectively; withcircumferential grooves 0, 72', g. The clutch-members 0, p, aredouble-faced or double-acting. Loosely mounted upon thetransmission-shaft c are the pinion r and the gears .s, t, u. The pinionmeshes with the gear 7", the gear .9

Specification of Letters Patent Application filed December 27, 1913.Serial No. 868,938.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

with the pinion g,' and the gear t'withi the pinion h. The reversinggear a meshes with the pinion 6 through the intermediary of the gear v(Fig. Three horizontally disposed clutch controlling slide-rods w, x, 3/are provided." Upon the rod w are mounted the forks2, 3, the fork 2entering the groove is and straddling the clutch-member 70, while thefork3 enters the groove 0 and straddles the clutch member 0. Upon theintermediate clutchshifting slide-rod a: is mounted the rod & whichenters the groove 7) andstraddles the clutch p ,1 while upon thereversing-rod y there is mounted the fork 5 which enters the groove andstraddles the Clutch 9. Around the reversing rod y there is wound acoilspring 6 which tends to press the rod 3/ and its attached fork 5toward the left in Fig. 2, and thereby to safeguard, against theinadvertent throwing into gear of the reversing mechanism. r lVith theslide-rod w in the position shown in Fig. 2, the clutch is is inengagement with the hub of the pinion j so that the drivingshaft Z) isconnected through the clutch with the pinion j and drives the latter.Obviously when the pinion j turns, and gear (2 turns in this way thecounter-shaft d is rotated. If now the slide-rod w be pushed to the leftin Fig. 2, the fork 3 is thrown to the left and carries the face 0 ofthe clutchmember 0 into clutching engagement with the hub of the pinion7*; furthermore, this movement of the slide-rod to causes the fork 2 totravel to the left but due to the width of the groove 71:, this travelof the fork 2 is-idle. The result of the manipulation of the slide-rod'w in this way is to cause power to be transmitted from thedriving-shaft 6 through thepinion and the ear 6 to the counter-shaft dand from the latter to the transmission-shaft 0 through the gear f andpinion 1. If a higher rate of speed is desired, the slide-rod w may nowbe shifted to the right in Fig. 2; and when this shift' ing is carriedso far as to move the fork 3 to the right in Fig. 2 sufliciently tocause an engagement of the face 0* of the clutchmember 0 with theclutch-member m, on the end of the drive-shaft b, the fork 2 will havebeen moved so far to the right in Fig. Qas to disengage the clutch isfrom the hub of the pinion j against the tension of the spring a. Thetransmission shaft 0 will now be driven directly from the drive-shaft binto engagement w and atdhe speed of the latter; hence, when tle'high'speed .u'uzehanisin is working or in he gears are motionless.Again, parts to he in the position it the ide-rod a? he DIOTQd to theright in i l the face of the clutch 7) will thr the fork. -lbe shifted hthe hub o. the gear 3 so that the transinission-shatt 0 will turn atsubstantially the same speed as that at which the coun er-shaft (Zturns; and if the slide-rod be shifted to the left in Fig. the fork -1-will he displaced in. the same direction and will throw the face p ofthe clutch p into engagement with the hub of the gear 6, whereby thespeed of the transmissioirshaft 0 will he decreased. If it be .desiredto reverse the direction of rotation,

the parts hein in the position shown in Fig. l the slide-rod 1 is movedto the right against the tension of the coil-spring 6 so as, through thefork 5, to throw the clutch g into engagement with the reversinggear u,whereupon the transn'iissioirshaft will be driven from the counter-shaftthrough the train of gearing i, '2 u in a reverse di reotion.

It to he observed when the automobile is being driven at high speed, theconnection between the drive shaft and the transmissionhail: direct;that is, the drive etrai -zt through with only the bevelears 7 runningand the gears and pinions 01 the chain 3' mechanism lti'CSt. in this waythere results operation of the POWGT-il'dllSllllSSlUll mechanism at highclaim: a

Power nsmission mechanism comprising drive-shaft; a counter-shaft; atransmission-shaft; a toothed Wheel loosely mounted on saidtransmission-shaft; a toothed wheel loosely mounted on said driveshait;toothed wheels which are mounted on said counter-slnlft and one or whichmeshes with the toothed wheel Upon said drive-shaft and the other ofwhich meshes with the toothed wheel upon said transmission-shatt; adrivesha'lt clutch-member slidable along said drive-shaft and rotatabletherewith and normally held in clutching engagement with the toothedwheel loosely mounted thereon said clutch-member being formed with anarin-reeeiving groove; a transmission-shaft clutch-member slidable alongsaid transmission shaft and rotatable ther-with and arranged whenshifted in one direction to clutch thereto the toothed wheel looselymounted thereon and, when shifted in the opposite direction, to clutchsaid drive-shaft and transn'iission-shatt together without theinterposition of i id toothed wheels; and a clutch-controllin V shifbrodprovided with a pair of Clutch-eontrolling arms one of which enters saidarm-receiving groove and disengages said drive-shaft clutch-member fromthe toothed wheel on said drive-shaft when the other of said armsclutches said drive-shaft and transmission shaft together; said roovebeing made wide enough to permit the first-namcd arm to travel idly whensaid other arm is shifted along said transilllSSlUXl-fiilflft to clutchthereto the toothed wheel loosely mounted thereon.

In testimony whereof ll. hereunto set my hand at Lima, Ohio, this 23rdday of December, 1913, in the presence of the two undersigned witnesses.

BEJJAMIN a. certain.

H. E. WI EELER.

